Window-shade attachment



C. C. STEGEMEYER'.` WINDOW SHADE ATTACHMENT.l

- f APPLICATION FILED APR. I.'I9I9. 1,436,209. Patented Nov. 21, 192g CHARLES C. STEGEMEYER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

WINDOW-SHADE ATTACHMENT.

.application ined April 1,

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that l, CHARLES C. Srnei- MEYER, a citizen of the United States. residing at Kansas City, in the county of J ackson, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Shade Attachments, of which the following is a complete specification.

The present invention relates to devices for window shades, and aims to provide an improved form of attachment for the lower ends of such shades which are commonly provided with filler pieces or sticks for reinforcing the lower edge of the shade and preventing it from curling or buckling.

One of the object-s of the invention is-to device an improved adjustable attachment by the use of which no sewing will be required for enabling the filler piece to be mounted and secured to the shade. a suitable clamping device being provided for attaching the end of the shade to the filler and without requiring any exact trimming of the edge of the shade.

A further object is to provide such an attachment as will reinforce the filler for the end of the shade and keep it from warping.

Another object is to provide a device which will serve to protect the lower mar- Igin of the shade not only from undue soiling and from being marred or damaged by handling, but also from the absorbing of moisture from the window sill and sash which always proves injurious to the fabric of the shade.

A still further object in view is to provide an attachment which will improve the appearance of the shade by not only adding a finish thereto but also by causing the shade to hang more smoothly and evenly due to the added weight of the parts of the attachment.

In carrying out the invention l. have devised a structure which comprises a housing member which is of the same general form as the iiller and is adapted to clamp the end of the shade in rolled relation about the filler. together with means for securing the parts in this relation.

It is also sought to devise simple, attractive and inexpensive structure of the character described and adapted to eiiect an economy in connection with window shades by prolonging the life of the shade,

lVith these general objects in view the invention wiH now be described with reference 1919. Serial No. 236,692.

to the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of construction which has been devisedfor embodying the improvement, after which the novel features therein will be set forth in the appended claim.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a window shade having its lower end fitted with an attachment embodying the present improvement Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views, taken on the lines 2 9, and 3-3, respectively, of Figure 1; and

Figure l is a perspective view of the parts comprising the device in separated relation.

Referring to the dra-wing in detail, this illustrates the improved construction as comprising a transverse filler member 6 of ordinary soft wood and of somewhat tapered cross-section (see Figures 8 and 4;) adapted to have the lower edge of the window shade 8 rolled around said member; and for the purpose of clamping or securing the shade to the filler member l provide a housing member 10 (preferably of suitably resilient material, such as light sheet metal) which is adapted to be slipped endwise over the filler member and the attached part of the shade, said housing having a longitudinal slit 12 which permits the passage of the free portion of the shade as the housing is slipped into clamping position. A series of openings 14 are provided in the housing member opposite the slit 12 for receiving the shank of a screw-eye 16 which is screwed on through into the ller 6, thereby securing the parts against relative endwise movement. The series of openings enables the proper position of the screw-eye to be ascertained, midway of the side edges of the shade.whereas a single opening in the manufacture of the device might not be correctly located, and moreover it might later be desired to shorten the device for a ditferent size of shade.

For further securing the parts in the above relation, as well as for adding a. finish to the appearance of the device, cup-shaped cap elements 18 are provided for the opposite ends of the housing member 10, said cap elements being of a size adapted to over said ends of the housing member, and prorvided with openings 20 registering with the ends of the slit 12 for clearing the side edges of the shade 8 and also with screw openings 22 whereby said cap elements may be secured by means of screws 24 to the opposite ends of the filler member 6, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

It is thus apparent that I have providedl a neat, simple and efficient form of attachment for carrying out the'desired objects of the invention. No sewing is required for the formation oi loops such as are usually provided for the mounting of the wooden iiller sticks, and a saving is thus made in the labor necessary for such sewing operation; besides which all the annoyance due to the ripping or raveling or' seams is eliminated.

he lower edges ot the shade do not have to be trimmed with any exactitude for the attachment of the present device, by which all of the lower margin of the shade is entirely concealed from view. Similarly, when one end of the shade becomes worn, the shade can be reversed without the necessity of any ripping or sewing, the device being readily changed from one end of the shade to the other; or the shade can be trimmed, if desired, and the attachment simply mounted farther up on the shade. The housing not only clamps the end of the shade lirmly and smoothly to the filler, but reinforces the latter and keeps it from warping, and moreover the added weight of the housing and cap elements tends to produce a smoother and more neatly hanging shade free from Wrinkles. The housing and cap elements may be of metal and adapted to take any desired finish, and obviously provide a complete shield for all that part of t-he shade which is ordinarily subject to handling, thus protecting the same from finger prints or from being soiled by contact with the Window sill, as well as from moisture from the window sill and sash, which is always likely to result in mildew forming on those parts of the shade which are thus aleeted. It is apparent also that with the parts neatly finished, they will improve the attractive appearance of the shade, as compared with the ordinary loop and stick construction.

I claim:

A window shade attachment comprising a transverse ller member having one end of the shade rolled about saidmember, a hous- `ing member of resilient material adapted to be slid endvvise over said filler member to clamp the shade thereon, said housing member having a longitudinal slit to permit passage of the shade, cap elements fitting over the opposite ends of said housing member for securing the same in shade-clamping relation, and means for securing said cap elements to the opposite ends of said filler member.

In witness whereof I hereto aiiix my signature.

CHAS. C. S'IEGEMEYER. 

